how serious of a charge is being an accessory to a crime in californina Tag

One of the more confusing criminal charges California has is the accessory after the fact. Many people don’t know that it’s possible to get into trouble for a crime that they weren’t involved with until well after the crime happened. California law stipulates that anyone who basically takes steps to hinder a criminal investigation could be charged with accessory after the fact. This means that if you help or conceal a loved one who has committed a crime, you will likely find yourself in hot legal water. An accessory after the fact charge isn’t something you should joke about. It’s a felony that comes with a potential sentencing that includes a three-year stay in one of California’s state prisons. Accessory after the fact charges are touched on in California’s Penal Code 32 (PC). It states that:
    “Every person who, after a felony has been committed, harbors, conceals or aids a principal in such felony, with the intent that said principal may avoid or escape from arrest, trial, conviction or punishment, having knowledge that said the principal has committed such felony or has been charged with such felony or convicted thereof, is an accessory to such felony.”

Accessory After the Fact Crimes

What the laws doesn’t get into is how serious a charge is or how to prepare to defend yourself against the charge. Examples of things that could result in your being charged with an accessory of the fact include:
  • Giving a person of interest a ride so they can evade law enforcement
  • Providing a person of interest with a place to stay and failing to let the authorities know
  • Giving someone money so they can run from criminal charges
  • Knowing that someone has committed a crime and failing to tell the police